A good friend of mine at my first job out of graduate school taught me to knit. (I had been shown before, but it didn't sink in the first time.) I had knit several baby hats and a few scarves, but nothing above a basic beginner level. Most of what I had knit was UFO's (UnFinished Objects for the uninitiated in 'knitter speak') in a large cedar chest in my upstairs office.
With the bravery of a stalwart soldier headed into battle, I forged through the tangle of cheap acrylic yarn and sharp metal needles in various sizes, on a mission to sort, separate, and complete the vast array of strange half-finished items in the chest. (Well, at least those that I could remember what they were supposed to have been.)
The first thing that I tackled will probably look familiar to anyone who has ever picked up a "Learn to Knit" kit at your local superstore. It is a simple vest pullover. (Forgive the blurry image. The striping in the yarn made it almost impossible to photograph anyway.)I had begun it out of a lovely Red-Heart acrylic (no sarcasm here) in a tan and blue-green colorway. (Still not sure why we can't just say 'color', but it does sound so much more sophisticated, doesn't it?) I had no idea that there was such a thing as BFL, or Merino, or that wool feels so much better in your hands than cheap acrylic that refuses to drape in a pleasing manner. The idea of a LYS (local yarn shop) was completely alien to me, as well. Didn't everyone buy yarn at Wal-Mart?
Thus, with a beginner vest pattern in hand, cheap needles, and even cheaper yarn, I completed my first wearable garment! (It actually is wearable. See? It is modeled on a real-life person!)
Thus, I declared myself a success, a real knitter, and able to conquer all!!!
That is until I tackled the green hat for Charlotte....but, I am getting ahead of myself.
Happy Knitting!!!
-Your (project-finishing) Knitting Girlfriend
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